CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: October 21, 2025
=========================================================================================== To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Victoria Henkel, Permit Technician
Subject: Approval and Receipt of Upcoming Openings on the Design Review Board for the term of Dec 31, 2025, through Dec 31, 2027
=========================================================================================== RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City authorize City Staff to notice and recruit for upcoming openings on the Design Review & Tree Board (DRB).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Design Review & Tree Board has three out of six terms ending on December 31, 2025. City Staff would like to open recruitment for these upcoming openings and ensure a smooth transition at the first Design Review Board/Tree Board Meeting of January 2026.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
The Design Review & Tree Board was created by the City Council. The Design Review & Tree Board terms of office are two years and will be until December 31st, 2027. Listed below are the upcoming vacancies:
a) Upcoming Openings on the Design Review & Tree Board (DRB) Name: Category: Term ending date:
Lars Langberg Category A (licensed architect) December 31, 2025 Christine Level Category C December 31, 2025
Melissa Hanley Category C December 31, 2025
The Board shall consist of five members, and the City Council shall select, if possible, the following:
A. Two persons, at least one of whom shall be a licensed architect and at least one of whom shall be a licensed landscape architect.
B. One person who may be any of the following: architect, landscape architect, building designer, building contractor, landscape contractor.
C. Two persons not in subsection A or B of this section.
D. One alternate who may be in subsection A of this section or who possesses a particular expertise in the area of design, land use patterns, urban development or other related fields to serve at any meeting or on any matter in the absence of a Board member, or in the event a member has a conflict of interest.
E. In the event suitable candidatessatisfactory to the City Council in the above categories are not available to serve, the City Council may then select any person or persons in their discretion. All terms of office shall terminate December 31st of the last year of the term of appointment.
The current Design Review/Tree Board terms/categories are listed below (upcoming vacancies are highlighted):
MEMBERS CATEGORY TERM ENDING DATE
Christian Macke A/C December 31, 2026
Lynn Deedler B December 31, 2026
Marshall Balfe D December 31, 2026
Lars Langberg A December 31, 2025
Christine Level C December 31, 2025
Agenda Item Number: 8 Agenda Item Number: 8
City Council Meeting Packet of: October 21, 2025
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Melissa Hanley C December 31, 2025
City Staff will initiate the public application process for the upcoming openings. Applications will be available on the City website and at City Hall. Notice of the openings will be published, and the application period will be open for approximately six weeks. Staff would agendize the interviews and appointments for a future City Council meeting after the application deadline.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
That the City Council authorize recruitment for the upcoming openings.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
This item has been noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost to publish one (1) vacancy notice in the Press Democrat ranges from $295.00 to $343.00. This amount includes one (1) hour of staff time for preparing the notice and posting it to all applicable locations. The expense is currently budgeted in the adopted FY 2025–2026 budget.
RESTATED MOTION:
That the City Council authorize City Staff to notice and recruit for openings on the Design Review and Tree Board.
OPTIONS:
1. That the City Council not authorize the recruitment; this is not recommended.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
APPROVALS:
Department Head Approval: Approval Date: __10/14/2025_
CEQA Determination (Planning): Approval Date: __10/7/2025___ The proposed action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Administrative Services (Financial) Approval Date:__10/14/2025__________ Costs authorized in City Approved Budget: Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A Account Code (f applicable) _100-21-02-4250-000-00000-000____________ City Attorney Approval: Approval Date: ____N/A________
City Manager Approval: Approval Date: __10/14/2025____
Agenda Item Number: 8 Agenda Item Number: 8
City Council Meeting Packet of: October 21, 2025
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